The proliferation of low-cost microprocessors, memory and image capture electronics has made digital still and video cameras popular and widely available. One advantage of digital cameras over conventional film cameras is their ability to capture an image and place it in memory for subsequent digital manipulation. Conversely, in film cameras captured images are permanently exposed on film and may not be manipulated within the camera.
Vibration or “camera shake” is one of the photographer's worst enemies. Camera shake induces blur in images owing to camera movement during image exposure. Slow shutter speeds and telephoto lenses exacerbate the effects of camera shake. Sharp photographs have higher resolution, require smaller file sizes for web use, and permit higher compression ratios than otherwise similar but less sharp photographs.
Several approaches have been developed to counteract the effects of camera shake. The oldest of these is the tripod, which can be very effective in minimizing the effects of camera shake. Unfortunately, tripods can be expensive, cumbersome, inconvenient, and time-consuming to use.
Another approach employs using an image stabilization device that counteracts camera shake. One or more elements located within the camera move in a direction opposite the camera's movement during image exposure. Some image-stabilized lenses and cameras use several tiny gyros that precess with camera movement and send signals via one or more servomotors to cause a lens element, a prism, or the image sensor to move in a direction opposite that of the camera's movement. Examples of this type of technology include the NIKON VR™ lens series and the CANON IS™ lens series. Some KONICA™ DIMAGE™ cameras include an “anti-shake” feature, where the image sensor itself is moved along the focal plane to stabilize images. Although image-stabilized lenses and image sensors perform relatively well, they are nevertheless relatively expensive and therefore generally found only in “prosumer” cameras.
Yet another approach to image stabilization is to employ a gyroscopic stabilizing platform upon which a camera is mounted, such as the KENYON LABORATORIES™ Gyro Stabilizer or the PEACE RIVER™ GYROPRO™ stabilizer. Gyro stabilization platforms are relatively bulky, difficult to use and expensive, however.
What is needed is a less expensive, less complicated, less bulky and easier to use method and device for stabilizing digital images.
Various patents containing subject matter relating directly or indirectly to the field of the present invention include, but are not limited to, the following:
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The dates of the foregoing publications may correspond to any one of priority dates, filing dates, publication dates and issue dates. Listing of the above patents and patent applications in this background section is not, and shall not be construed as, an admission by the applicants or their counsel that one or more publications from the above list constitutes prior art in respect of the applicant's various inventions. All printed publications and patents referenced herein are hereby incorporated by referenced herein, each in its respective entirety.
Upon having read and understood the Summary, Detailed Descriptions and Claims set forth below, those skilled in the art will appreciate that at least some of the systems, devices, components and methods disclosed in the printed publications listed herein may be modified advantageously in accordance with the teachings of the various embodiments of the present invention.